Leicester 2 Ipswich 0: Jamie Vardy reaches 200 goals in 500th appearance exactly 13 years after joining Foxes

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Jamie Vardy, where will your statue stand?

That seems to be the sole remaining piece of business for this living legend as he concludes his remarkable 13-year journey with Leicester City.

Jamie Vardy of Leicester City celebrating a goal.
Jamie Vardy netted his 200th Leicester goal in his final match for the club.

In a fitting farewell, the 38-year-old ended his tenure brilliantly, scoring his 200th goal for Leicester in his 500th appearance for the club, exactly 13 years to the day he arrived from Fleetwood Town.

It was a perfectly wrapped conclusion!

Vardy had previously missed a couple of half-chances, but when James Justin broke through the Ipswich defence and delivered a perfectly timed pass, the opportunity arose.

Suddenly, Vardy was clear, and everyone knew what was coming next – give him a few chances, and one will inevitably find the back of the net.

There was never any doubt the seasoned striker would seize the moment on his special day.

True to form, he calmly slotted the ball past Ipswich keeper Alex Palmer, sparking pandemonium in the stands as the King Power Stadium crowd celebrated his final goal.

Jamie Vardy and Kasey McAteer celebrating a goal.
The Foxes forward joined Leicester 13 years ago and departs at the end of the season.

The celebrations continued midway through the second half when Kasey McAteer extended the Foxes` lead.

Then, with ten minutes left, Ruud Van Nistelrooy made a double substitution, which included bringing Vardy off for Patson Daka.

As the crowd chanted his name, Vardy walked off the pitch. Every Leicester player lined up along the halfway line to form a guard of honour for him.

"Thank You Vards," appeared on the scoreboards as the veteran took his deserved place on the bench.

Mission accomplished… as always.

From the moment he joined to the final time he waved goodbye and disappeared down the tunnel as a Fox, it was entirely the Jamie Vardy show.

Almost every fan`s shirt proudly displayed "Vardy 9" or "Legend 9".

Banners featuring Vardy`s name and image were waved by dozens of flag-bearers as he led the Leicester team out.

Leicester City players receive a guard of honor.
Vardy received a guard of honour midway through the match when he was substituted.

The scoreboard also showed "Goodbye GOAT." And every home supporter received a banner printed with the message: "Thank You Vards."

However, Kieran McKenna`s Ipswich didn`t seem to have received the memo and were determined to spoil the farewell party.

Unfortunately for them, they simply lacked a finisher of Vardy`s calibre.

They dominated the opening 20 minutes, and the veteran had to patiently wait for his first touch.

Leicester City`s Kasey McAteer scoring a goal.
Kasey McAteer struck Leicester`s second goal from a tight angle.

Julio Enciso released Leif Davis on the left. Although the full-back`s initial shot was blocked by Coady, his follow-up attempt was significantly better.

His powerful shot beat Jakub Stolarczyk but rebounded off the inside of the post and bounced away to safety.

Illustration of Jamie Vardy`s Leicester career statistics.

Sam Morsy shot over, and Enciso sent another attempt wide before the stadium erupted after 20 minutes when Vardy finally got the chance to sprint.

Jordan Ayew sent the veteran striker racing through on goal, and suddenly everyone in the King Power Stadium was on their feet roaring him on.

However, on this occasion, Davis matched Vardy`s speed, sprinting back to force him wide, and the striker`s shot went off target.

The great man followed that up a couple of minutes later, hitting the side netting after a well-executed free kick saw him turn Morsy.

Vardy sensed an opportunity and was closing in.

Leicester City players celebrating a goal.
It was the youngest first goal of the season.

And sure enough, the fairytale ending was secured when he struck after 28 minutes.

Justin played a crucial role with the assist; the full-back swiftly closed down Jack Clarke, causing him to lose his footing, and then pounced on the ball, surging forward past two Ipswich players.

Vardy sprinted away, and Justin timed his pass perfectly, rolling the ball into his path.

The striker then demonstrated his predatory instinct, holding off his marker and clinically slotting the ball past Palmer and into the net.

Leicester City vs Ipswich Town match stats graphic.

Then, he raced to celebrate in front of the stunned Ipswich supporters, pulling the corner flag from its base and lifting it high overhead – like a conquering hero.

It was the sole moment the 38-year-old showed any sign of slowing down on his momentous day.

It will be interesting to see if a manager offers him his desired opportunity to play another year in the Premier League next season.

Based on his form this season, where he finished as the Foxes` top scorer with 10 goals in a struggling team that was relegated, he is certainly worth another shot.

Leicester`s other goal came from McAteer, who received a pass from Wilfred Ndidi and lashed the ball into Palmer`s near post.

Ndidi was also substituted near the end to receive the fans` applause in his final appearance for the Foxes.

He played his part, setting up 23-year-old McAteer for his maiden Premier League goal.

The winger only needs 144 more to equal Vardy`s Premier League total.

Good luck with that feat.

Callum Drayton
Callum Drayton

Meet Callum Drayton, a passionate journalist living in an English city, dedicated to uncovering the latest in sports news. From football pitches to boxing rings, Callum’s knack for storytelling brings every game to life.

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